COOL COMFORT - Tips to Help Extend Your Season

By Dave Kraus

Fall is here, and it’s my favorite cycling season. I’m in great shape, the weather is cooler, and the fall colors are stunning. BUT... sooner or later I always hear The Voice whispering in my ear. “Enjoy it while you can! In no time at all it’s gonna be dark at 5pm, colder, and it’s back to the basement trainer or spin classes. READ MORE

Fall Paddling

By Alan Mapes

Gliding down a placid stream, watching the bow wake of my canoe as it sends out wavelets through the reds, oranges and purples of the fall leaf reflections – what could be better than fall paddling? Autumn is hands-down my favorite season for outdoor activities. Here is a rundown on fall paddling – some safety tips for cooler waters, my favorite gear for the colder weather paddling, and a few spots to go for nice fall outings by small boat. READ MORE

Wakely and Spruce Mountains - Two of the Highest Fire Towers in the Adirondacks

By Rich Macha

It’s all a bit confusing. On different pages on NYSDEC’s website, the Wakely Mountain fire tower is the tallest in the Adirondacks, or is the tallest in New York, yet it is likely that neither is true. I looked at multiple references and Wakely’s fire tower is claimed to be either 70, 82 or 92 feet high, so which is correct? READ MORE

Caroline Block - Breaking Records and Barriers with Every Stroke

By Linda Waxman Finkle

Imagine a sport where the elements and conditions are never the same twice, where there’s no opportunity for recovery, where you need to refuel every 30 minutes, and where, if you stop moving, you’ll lose ground, may become hypothermic – and may be unable to reach shore. READ MORE

Boston Marathon Virtual Experience

By Tom O’Grady

Few races can capture the essence of distance running in the way that the Boston Marathon can, from the elite level athlete all the way to the casual spectator. After the marathon received revived attention following the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, the Boston Athletic Association held the first race in April of 1897. In the ensuing 123 years the Boston Marathon has become a staple of Patriots’ Day, observed on the third Monday in April. As one of the oldest and most prestigious races in the world, part of the allure of Boston Marathon is its strict qualifying standards and its quirky, point-to-point course. READ MORE

Transitioning from a Lifestyle Approach to a Vaccine for Covid-19

By Paul E. Lemanski, MD, MS, FACP

While a lifestyle approach to Covid-19 provides the foundation for the current strategy to mitigate the risk of the virus, how it dovetails with and transitions to a vaccine is important. In my last two articles on Covid-19 (June and August 2020), I argued for a more “balanced” approach. READ MORE

Climate Inaction

By Skip Holmes

We have been totally absorbed by the global pandemic for most of 2020. Many of us stayed home for months and occasionally went outside this spring while working from home, trying to home school our children, ordering groceries and other items online. Having prepared food delivered by masked drivers who only took credit or debit cards. READ MORE

The FROGS

By Jack Rightmyer

I first heard about the FROGS four years ago when I was at a spring high school track meet and coaching my team Bethlehem against Colonie. Our track official that day was Bob Oates, who had been a longtime cross-country and track coach at Guilderland High School. “Bob, that was such a great ride today,” said Frank Myers, the veteran Colonie track coach. “Just perfect weather,” answered Bob, who then called out the next race to report to the starting line. READ MORE